Mobile App Builder

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Mobile App Builder

    The ServiceNow® Mobile App Builder (MAB) is a configuration tool designed to create and manage workflows within ServiceNow mobile apps. It offers an intuitive interface for organizing records and streamlining mobile app development.

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    Key Features

    • Hierarchical Layout: Organizes records for quick access and reference.
    • Tree Navigation: Provides a visual representation of record relationships.
    • Edit Capabilities: Supports editing across all ServiceNow mobile application scopes.
    • Streamlined Configuration: Allows editing of multiple records on a single screen, guides users through record relationships, prevents invalid configurations, and auto-populates fields when creating relationships.
    • Version Updates: Automatic installation with the base system plugin (snmab), with notifications for new updates starting from version 22.6.
    • Mobile Publishing Integration: Allows custom branded app cards to be managed through Mobile Publishing.
    • Push Notifications: Enables the addition of push notifications in mobile apps starting from the Washington DC family release.

    Key Outcomes

    With the Mobile App Builder, ServiceNow customers can efficiently create and manage mobile applications, ensuring enhanced functionality and user experience through organized records, effective navigation, and integrated features like push notifications and mobile publishing.

    The ServiceNow® Mobile App Builder (MAB) is a configuration tool to build and manage screens and records that make up workflows within ServiceNow mobile apps. The organizational layout and navigation options in the Mobile App Builder facilitate a faster and more intuitive creation of ServiceNow mobile applications.

    Benefits and uses of the Mobile App Builder include the following:
    • Organize records in a hierarchical layout for quick access and reference.
    • Support hierarchical tree navigation, enabling users to visualize how records relate to each other and tie into the overall mobile app configuration.
    • Support the editing of all ServiceNow base system mobile application scopes.
    • Streamline mobile configurations by doing the following:
      • Enable the editing of multiple records in a single screen.
      • Guide users to appropriate record relationships.
      • Prevent invalid configuration choices.
      • Auto-populate fields when creating relationships between records.
    Note:

    Mobile App Builder (MAB) is automatically installed on your instance with the base system plugin sn_mab. Starting in version 22.6, when there is a new version of the plugin, a banner appears at the top of the MAB screen indicating a new version is available. Select Update in the banner to install the new version.

    For more information about the MAB plugin and its associated plugins for the Mobile App Builder API and Mobile Card Builder, see Mobile plugins.

    Mobile App Builder workflow

    The building of mobile applications takes place within three screens:
    • The Mobile App Builder application scope selection screen: Select the scope to work on.
    • The Mobile App Builder categories home screen: Select the record to work on.
    • The Mobile App Builder record screen: Work on your records.

    In the Mobile App Builder application scope selection screen, you select the application scope to work in. After choosing your application scope, select a category or specific record to create or edit in the Mobile App Builder categories home screen. The record you select then opens in the Mobile App Builder record screen. In this screen, you perform most of your work, by populating record fields and creating relationships between different records.

    The following video shows you how to configure records in Mobile App Builder and provides a demonstration of a practical use case.

    Mobile Publishing integration

    In the Washington DC family release and later, Mobile App Builder is now integrated with Mobile Publishing:

    Mobile Publishing sidebar on the Mobile App Builder main page

    Select a custom branded app card in the Manage your branding side panel to open it in Mobile Publishing. For more information about Mobile Publishing, see Publish mobile apps with custom branding.

    Add push notifications to mobile apps with Mobile App Builder

    In the Washington DC family release and later, you can now add push notifications to your mobile apps with Mobile App Builder:

    Mobile App Builder menu showing push notifications

    Select Mobile notifications in the menu and then select the push notification you want to use. For more information about push notifications, see Mobile push notifications.